For other inquires, contact Colleen Aho by email, at 651.789.8990 or visit the SAG-AFTRA website.

TWIN CITIES NEWS & VIEWS

Credits:Editor: Mary Em Burns Photos: Bob Davis and Randal Berger

Greetings from Your New Local President Bob Davis

I joined the board a few years ago because I thought that our union was in jeopardy, that the work that had sustained me and my family for years was disappearing and that it was vital to do something now to save it. The alternative was to see it dwindle into nothing, returning actors to the time before we had a union. Those actors at that time found the courage to band together to control the labor market and demand wages and working conditions that would provide them with a safe, livable income. If we fail in our efforts to keep SAG-AFTRA strong and growing, guess what? What will happen to non-union wages without our union-established standards to compare them to? They will dwindle slowly down and down, until the actors being paid this insulting wage will wake up one day and say, “We ought to band together and do something about this!”

I think it makes more sense to build on the strong bones prepared by our predecessors and strengthen what we have rather than to let our kids do it all over again.

We are having our annual Twin Cities membership meeting on Nov. 18 at the Jungle Theater at 6 p.m. Please come and hear your local board’s ideas on how to move forward, and bring your voice and ideas to share with all of us.

Twin Cities Local Elects Leadership

Ballots were tabulated for the first Twin Cities Local election on Aug. 2, supervised by the Twin Cities Local Elections Committee: Chair Allen Hamilton was joined by Marie Mathay, Mary Em Burns and Steve Murphy. Most candidates ran unopposed, and thus were declared elected (a sign that more of you TC Local members need to step up and run for the local board when the next election period rolls around). There was only one contested position: that of national board member. All those elected took office effective Aug. 15, with local board and convention delegate positions serving two-year terms. Here are the final results:

Convention Delegates: Mark Bradley, Charles Brin and Peggy O’Connell (the national board member and president, by virtue of their election to those positions, also serve as convention delegates.)

Congratulations to all of our elected members, and thanks to the volunteers on the Local Elections Committee, and to the newly elected local leadership for serving our local at this time of change and opportunity!

A Message from Your New National Board Member Randal Berger

I want to give my perspective on and talk about my experiences in L.A. at the end of September during the first SAG-AFTRA National Convention and my first national board meetings as the elected national board member from the Twin Cities Local. There are obvious challenges inherent in building what is, in effect, the beginning of a new union, and even more so with attempts to bring forward the stronger parts of our previous unions. I felt that the proceedings ran fairly smoothly, as well as being fair to all in our national union. There was the utmost respect given to the new union’s constitution, which all of us as members had a chance to review and vote upon when we merged (and if you want some interesting reading, it can be found on the SAG-AFTRA website).

Given the necessary changes we have experienced in our local (the closure of our local office, loss of local services and staff), I was certainly concerned about the support and focus that would be given to the locals. I can happily report that there was a great amount of support, focus and respect given to the locals throughout the country — not just focusing on L.A., N.Y. and Chicago.

In addition to the very difficult work we have in attempting to work in our industry and its changing landscape, I know it can be frustrating and uncertain to know what “our place” is now. I would like to suggest that we not get into the habit of automatically getting mad at the union or at “national” whenever something comes up with which we disagree or don’t understand. I want us to remember and embrace that we are truly a national union. In fact, we are the union and we, as a local, actually have more influence (and responsibility) than might be felt now. I don’t feel it is productive, nor does it help us achieve our goals — unless, that is, someone wants to create an entirely new union ... and I'm not there yet. In my opinion, the elected leaders with whom I interacted at the convention and at national board meetings, as well as the union’s staff, are generally really good people with our best interests at heart — honestly! There are a huge number of factors that come into play and the best choices are trying to be made for all.

Now, I might be a bit naïve, but I made a decision when I went into this convention, the national board meetings and in my new role overall, that I would be as nonpolitical and nonpartisan as I could. I find it important and exciting that this was the very first meeting of our newly created/elected union. The previous board and staff was a mix of AFTRA and SAG boards/staff, which was put together until we could hold the national elections of the past few months. Hence, on that previous board, there was naturally some “this was the way SAG did it” and “this was the way AFTRA did it” energy. I can tell there has been history internally and externally in both AFTRA and SAG that has been at odds. It’s a democracy; it happens. Still, I view this place — the now — as a clean slate, a place to start fresh. I know we can learn from the past, but I intend not to dwell there.

During the convention, I was amazed at how many people commented on this being “one union” and that we are all “in this together,” but I believed them. I know it is talk, but it is good talk and at least there was acknowledgement of many of the common ideals we hold dear. Being “one union” goes both ways. There is an entire nation of members (currently 165,000 of us) who we all need to be strong for — and sometimes that means we don’t all get what we want. Still, there will also be times when others have to give up something in order to benefit us.

Now a few points I would like to place into our consciousness:

• We need to be our own advocates, in the context of the greater whole of the national union. This new and necessary structure/model of our union is being described as an organizing model, not a service model. This means that due to the union needing to be very smart with our resources, we don’t get as much service as we have enjoyed in the past. It’s not ideal in one sense, as we are all stretched thin (I know: I have three kids, and I often feel as if I'm hanging on by my fingernails). The fact is, that is what it is, and it is not impossible to “make it work” — it’s just not easy. This is why the previous board (the merged boards of SAG and AFTRA) made the decision they did to cut services. Many local offices were closed and many national staff lost their jobs. But please remember, even without a local office, we still exist as a local constitutionally, and we do have a voice and representation. We all are going to have to take on some of the burdens of service that we have come to expect.

• I realize that this new model isn’t necessarily a negative in another sense, because we now will all be involved and committed to our success, which is a key in the concept of what a union is. We have to work together to better the whole. It is important that we do it as part of the whole union, not just as it serves our local — hence, the need for vetting of ideas/plans with “the whole” (read: the local board and our national elected leaders/staff).

• The union is in a time of focusing on four core tenets: negotiating contracts, organizing, administration and timely payment of residuals — I remember it as NOAT. This was decided when the cuts were made to all the locals and national staff: that we only focus on these four areas until we can effectively support more. Therefore, anything we suggest, any ideas we offer up, need to have an extremely strong tie-in to these tenets.

• While speaking with members, one mentioned to me that talk, in and of itself, doesn’t solve problems, we have to “do.” In my involvement on all the boards and organizations with which I have participated, there are, more often than not, great ideas that just float away for lack of doing. So please keep that in mind as your ideas bubble up: It doesn't stop there. An effort on your part to act on those ideas will not only help you, it will help others as well.

• The actions the national board and staff took in the last few months might not seem like positive actions, but from what I could tell, they were necessary. I wish it could have been handled more smoothly, but there were factors that necessitated a quick response, and such was taken by the previous board of elected members (though certainly not without great thought).

• Finally, on a positive note, the good news is that I can tell you that the small and medium locals are represented not only on the national board, but also on various committees/capacities. This is guaranteed through resolutions that were passed at the national convention, as well as guaranteed within the union’s constitution and supported by the vast majority of members. Again, at convention there was this spirit of “the whole” — and that is good news! We have a say, we are acknowledged and we are not forgotten.

I look forward to the new ideas, energy and focus we all have. Please feel free to contact me and/or other members of our local board to pass those ideas onwards and upwards at twincities@sagaftra.org. I would love nothing more than for the Twin Cities Local to be a model for the country as we move forward.

Cheers,

Randal

At right, Twin Cities Local officials at SAG-AFTRA's inaugural convention. From left, President Bob Davis, Director of Locals Administration Colleen Aho and National Board member Randal Berger.

Film/TV Production is Alive in Minnesota … with Ample Potential for Growth

Kathy Byrne, the director of TV/Theatrical at SAG-AFTRA in Chicago, reports that from July through October, the Twin Cities has hosted production of two union contract feature films, The Jingle Dress and Dear White People, and several shorts, including Breaking Good, Sweet Corn, Trapped and Rosie.

In addition, she reported that a contract was just finalized for another short film, The Sand Box, to shoot in November-December 2013.

Kathy also indicated that she is trying to arrange another trip to Minneapolis-St. Paul (for those not in attendance, she spoke at our spring membership meeting) to do some more extensive outreach to filmmakers, and will — hopefully — also meet with members again to provide more information and “ammunition” we can use to help “flip” low-budget productions to union contracts. Watch for more information by email and/or in our next newsletter.

A Day in the Life

Longtime Board Member Barry ZeVan Describes his induction into the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame

As a continuously active member of both SAG and AFTRA since August 1953 (as well as AEA, beginning that same month and year), the proverbial “frosting on the cake" occurred for my career when I was honored to be inducted into the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame Sept. 29. The event was held in the cavernous top floor of Seven restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. Other local union members — of the total of eight people inducted that evening — included Mark Rosen, Dick Bremer, Kim Ketola (Jeffries) and, posthumously, the late Eleanor Mondale Poling and Jack Thayer.

Each of our speeches was preceded by very kind historic video tributes compiled from former broadcasts and telecasts. I was honored to have Stanley S. Hubbard, now chairman of Hubbard Broadcasting, say on videotape some very nice things about yours truly, followed by a piece Rusty Gatenby had aired on Channel 5 for my 70th anniversary in broadcasting, which occurred Feb. 20 of this year. I know Mr. Hubbard’s properties are (unfortunately) not all union, but, had it not been for him hiring me in 1970, I would never have had the privilege to become established in such a wonderful market where I’ve lived almost half of my 76 years. It was impossible to encapsulate 70 years in this business into four or five minutes, but suffice it to say my primary message to the well over 150 people in attendance was sincere gratitude for the blessing of the induction and the blessing to have worked, and had strong friendships with, so many giants in the industry, beginning at age 5½ with my debut on the world’s first radio station, KDKA, in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Penn.

Thank you, also, fellow Twin Cities SAG-AFTRA members, for your kind congratulations and the privilege to continue to serve on the local board.

Barry ZeVan

A Day in the Life: Request for Submissions

Since our new merged union includes many types of members, and so many of us don’t know much about the work of some of our fellow SAG-AFTRA members, we hope to include in every issue of this newsletter going forward short stories submitted by you the members. Tell us about jobs you currently have or contract jobs you have been on recently, about auditions or job interviews, or in general about your union-related work and experiences in and out of the Twin Cities. Please submit your brief story by email to twincities@sagaftra.org and reference “Day in the Life Story” in the subject line. Please include your full name and contact information with your submission. Submissions for the next newsletter are due by Jan. 20, 2014.

Note: The editors reserve the right to make the final decision on whether or not to include your submission and also reserve the right to edit as needed.

SAG Foundation N.Y. Shorts Showcase Seeking Submissions

Please share this info with all your filmmaker friends: The Screen Actors Guild Foundation is now accepting submissions from all states east of the Mississippi for its February 2014 N.Y. Shorts Showcase, now in year five.

The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19. All entries received after that date will be placed in contention for our June 2014 event. Webseries produced under a union contract are also eligible for consideration.

There is no entry fee, nor is there a cost to attend the screening, which is held in New York City three times a year. All shorts must be produced under a SAG-AFTRA union contract, and not run more than 15 minutes, including credits — no exceptions.

The showcase is open to all types of cinematic expression, and is designed to encourage union members and others to create their own projects. In addition to the screening, the evening includes a Q&A with the directors and producers, and an opportunity to network with those in attendance.

Filmmakers may submit a regular DVD copy of their film — no Blu-Ray, please — which should be clearly labeled with a title, the director’s name, an email contact address and the project’s SAG-AFTRA production number to:

SAG Foundation N.Y. Salon Seeks Scripts

Hello, film and TV scriptwriters: The SAG Foundation would like to hear from you. The Foundation presents staged readings of film and TV scripts featuring a cast of SAG-AFTRA members. We’re interested in well-written material that would appeal to a wide audience.

Writers must be members of one of the performing arts unions (SAG-AFTRA, AEA, etc.) or affiliated unions (DGA, WGA, etc.). If the work is a collaboration, then at least one of the writers must be a union member. Please submit a brief synopsis of your project to salon@sagfoundation.org — you will hear from us, if we’re interested in reading your script. Thanks!

Unfortunately, National Executive Director David White will not be able to join us at the meeting. We look forward to a visit from David in the near future.

This meeting is open only to SAG-AFTRA Twin Cities Local members in good standing. Unfortunately, no guests allowed. Parents/guardians of young performers, under 18 years of age, are welcome. Please bring your SAG-AFTRA card (paid through Oct. 31, 2013 or April 30, 2014) for admittance.

Gabrielle Carteris was elected as the executive vice president of SAG-AFTRA on Sept. 26 at the union’s inaugural national convention.

Carteris became a household name when she landed the role of Andrea Zuckerman on the Aaron Spelling program Beverly Hills, 90210. A show with a shaky beginning, 90210 ended up being one of the longest-running one-hour series in television history, as well as being viewed in more than 100 countries. The success of the show allowed Carteris to get involved with many great organizations, including DARE, Noxzema Extraordinary Teen program, MADD and Read to Grow.

Carteris has also worked as a producer, creating a series of specials called Lifestories, which led to her producing and hosting her own talk show for Fox, Gabrielle. Recent credits include guest starring roles on Criminal Minds, Make It or Break It, The Event, Longmire, The Middle and the recent holiday television movie 12 Christmas Wishes.

Carteris previously served Screen Actors Guild in 2008 as 5th alternate national director, in 2009 as 1st alternate national director and in 2010 she began a three-year term as national board member. Her previous American Federation of Television and Radio Artists service includes two consecutive terms on the AFTRA Los Angeles Local Board and the AFTRA National Board, three terms as AFTRA convention delegate/actor category and in 2011 she was elected Los Angeles local president and national 2nd vice president.

She also served SAG-AFTRA during the transition year as national vice president, Los Angeles.